Bloodlines
by Kay Blue Eyes
Summary: The Sohma family has been living under a terrible curse for centuries. But only now have they begun to ask one very important question. What is the source of the curse? But are they strong enough to learn the terrible secret of their family’s bloody past?
1. Chapter 1

**This is my first anime related fic (along with the Inuyasha fic I am also doing) so I hope I don't mess it up too much! Besides that I hope you all enjoy this fic! **

_**The Sohma family has been living under a terrible curse for centuries. Every generation there are twelve who are doomed to live their lives possessed by the vengeful spirits of the Chinese zodiac. Now they are beginning to ask one very important question. What is the source of the curse? But are they really ready to learn the terrible secret of their family's bloody history?**_

Chapter 1: Behind Closed Doors

Winter: New Year's Eve

The night air hung cold and dark over the city, the clouds sifting a light dusting of snow upon the ground. Soft, glowing pinpoints of light lay scattered within the darkness despite the late hour, every household still awake and waiting for the coming dawn; the first sunrise of the new year. As the flakes settled into the stone courtyard of a large traditional style Japanese house the sound of muffled music could be heard cutting through the freezing wind. Behind the imposing closed gates at the front of the compound every window of every building blazed with warm, apparently welcoming light, fighting off the cold of the night by sheer force of will.

A door in the largest of the assorted buildings opened quickly, revealing a tall slightly sloppily dressed man with a mop of attractive shaggy, black hair. He waved cheerfully over his shoulder at the rather sober looking man with sharp eyes who stood directly behind him. "Don't worry Ha-san. I will just go and see what he is doing."

Crossing his arms over his chest Hatori Sohma considered his cousin, and long time friend, with an even, no nonsense glare. "Shigure, just make sure that you don't wander off on your way over there. Everyone is beginning to wonder what is holding things up. We cannot start the banquet without Akito being here. It is tradition."

The Sohma New Year's banquet was an annual celebration where a very select few of the family had the opportunity to come together in order to usher in another year. This one holiday was taken especially seriously not because of the new years itself but rather because it was the one occasion when a very particular twelve of the Sohma clan could feel as if they were not so different from normal people, as if they were not cursed. It was a cheap and impermanent delusion to be sure, but it was the one day a year they were all safe from the mysterious magic that plagued them, if not from each other.

Pulling a face at the mild reprimand Shigure patted his friend on the shoulder. "Now, now. Is that any way to act on New Year's night? You are always so serious Ha-san! It isn't good for you. Being a Doctor you should know that laughter is always the best medicine!!" When Hatori merely cocked a dark eyebrow at Shigure's passionate speech the black eyed man sighed dramatically. "You are hopeless!!"

Raising a hand to swipe his cousin's grasping fingers from his jacket lapel Hatori turned on his heel and headed back into the house. "Remember go and come right back," he repeated evenly. "The banquet cannot start without the head of the family."

Watching his cousin's immaculately dressed figure disappearing around a corner Shigure cupped a hand around his mouth and sang out. "Have no fear!! It isn't as if I would _ever_ wander off in the middle of a party!"

Tucking his hands into the pockets of his black dress pants Shigure stepped outside and closed the sliding door behind him. Hunching his shoulders against the cold he hurried across the small snow covered courtyard that separated the banquet hall from the personal quarters reserved specifically for the head of the family, Akito Sohma. Arriving at his destination quickly he climbed a pair of stone steps and slid open the door. Reaching up he absently brushed at the snow sprinkled in his dark hair and squinted around the dimly lit hallway. Seeing no one in the immediate vicinity he straightened his tie, secretly wishing all the while for the more relaxed garb he normally wore at home.

Letting out a sigh he gave his tie one final tug and stepped forward. "Akito?" he called out as he stuck his head into a side room. Opening his mouth to call out again Shigure hesitated when he caught sight of a dim shaft of light leaking out from under a door at the far end of the hallway. Heading in that direction he instinctually quieted his step when the muffled sound of a voice reached his ears.

Tilting his head slightly to one side he listened intently for several moments just outside the closed doorway. It did not take him long to recognize the voice as belonging to Akito. _Who in the world is he talking to?_ He wondered as the good natured smile usually pasted over his features slipped and fell into a considering frown. _Everyone else is in the banquet hall… even Yuki came this year._ Knowing that no one outside of the cursed twelve should be within the inner gates at this hour Shigure was at a loss to explain why he could still hear Akito mumbling away.

Allowing his curiosity to overpower his better judgment the black-eyed man gently nudged the door open an inch and peered inside. Akito's voice, now clear enough to make out the individual words, continued on in a quietly even tone; sounding much more structured than what one would use in conversation. Tilting his head in order to scan the room through the small crack Shigure quickly noted that the room was empty except for a single hunched figure sitting bent over a desk in one corner.

Recognizing the dark head of hair and slouching posture as belonging to Akito, Shigure eased the door open another inch. Watching quietly Shigure saw the young man in the room pause his speech long enough to carefully turn the page of some document sitting upon the desk before him. _Hmm, he is just reading aloud. Man do I feel stupid… _Rolling his eyes over how worked up he had become over something so uninteresting Shigure moved to step forward and escort Akito to the banquet, but what Akito said next stopped him in his tracks.

"… every one hundred years shall mark out a time for the curse to bloom… renewed again and again by the hatred of its source. And a year of ruin shall rain down upon the twelve under the punishment of the heavens. Their judgment will never rest so long as their accusers remain…" At this point Akito shifted on the cushion he was seated upon, slowly lowering his head until it rested upon the surface of the desk as if he were suddenly too tired to hold it up.

"Four times…" Akito murmured, his voice dipping low. "Four times in five hundred years it has gotten worse… but soon it will be five. This is the year, our five hundredth anniversary."

Completely engrossed by what he was hearing Shigure felt his mouth fall slack. Never once in his entire life had he heard someone speak of the curse like this before, like there was some solid information describing it. He knew only the obvious, that when he was born with the Sohma's curse it meant that he transformed into the form of one of the Chinese zodiac, the dog to be more exact, when a person of the opposite sex embraced him. During his younger years Shigure had wondered if there was something more to know, if there was a cure to be found, but as the years had passed with no answers to his many questions he had given up hope. Had he been wrong to stop looking? Was the answer to the origin of the curse hidden in just the other room? And, more importantly, had Akito known about it all this time?

A light sheen of sweat broke out across his forehead as his mind raced with the possibilities. _That book… he is reading it all from that book. _A floorboard creaked under his foot as he leaned forward to try and catch a glimpse of what Akito was reading. At the sound the young man in the room turned his head to the side and slowly sat up, his eyes narrowing as he shot an icy glare over his shoulder.

"Come in here Shigure," Akito ordered, a dangerous edge slithering just under the surface of his words.

Knowing that it would be useless to withdraw now Shigure fixed a bright smile on his face and slid the door open. Waving cheerfully despite Akito's frigid welcome Shigure stepped fully into the room. "Hatori asked me to see where you were. It is almost time to begin."

Remaining silent for a long heavy moment Akito studied Shigure's face. Doing his best to hold onto his innocent expression under the intense scrutiny Shigure stuffed his hands into his pockets and forced himself to meet the younger man's gaze; his heart hammering painfully against his ribcage all the while. In a bid to take his mind off of the nearly palpable tension thrumming in the air Shigure focused on the young man across the room.

Akito Sohma was deceptively young given his position of ultimate authority in the family. From the moment he was born he was designated the unquestionable leader and had long since grown used to this role. Though he had delicately handsome features his eyes were sharp and calculating, giving him the over all air of someone of far more advanced years. After what seemed like an eternity Akito sighed and turned back to his desk, leaving Shigure to sag slightly in relief.

"How long have you been standing there Shigure? It isn't polite to lurk outside of doorways you know," Akito asked, a gentle scolding hidden within his words.

"Ah that…" Shigure began. "Well I just walked up when you called me in here. Sorry I didn't mean it to look like…"

"Like you were spying on me?" Akito finished softly as he opened the top drawer of the desk in a slow deliberate manner.

"Oh no, I would never do anything like…"

"I know exactly what you would and would not do," Akito snapped his voice rising incrementally with his agitation. "I am the heart of this family. I know you all better than you know yourselves. And I know each and every one of you would betray me if you had the chance."

"You know we wouldn't…" Shigure argued though he wondered at the truthfulness of his own words. There were more than a couple members of the family who were not on the best terms with their leader.

"It is my responsibility to keep us all together…" Akito continued as he picked up the ancient looking book from the desktop and carefully placed it in the drawer he had opened. Removing a key from his sleeve he locked the drawer with a decisive snap of his wrist. "Forever if need be."

A shiver of dread crept up Shigure's spine as he watched Akito tuck the key back into his sleeve. "Can I ask what you were doing before I came in?" Shigure blurted before he made a conscious decision to speak.

Akito calmly adjusted the collar of his kimono and stood, his pale hands hanging limply at his sides as he turned with a wide, indulgent smile gracing his lips. "Just as I said," he replied as he strolled over to Shigure and lightly ran a finger down his cousin's tie. "Keeping us together."

When Shigure could only stare down at Akito in silence the younger man patted him comfortingly on the chest before stepping away and gliding to the open doorway. While his back was turned Shigure's eyes strayed momentarily to the top drawer of the desk across the room. An almost overpowering spark of desperation ignited within him as he stared at the drawer. _What is really in that book?_

"Are you coming Shigure?" Akito asked from the doorway, his dark gaze carefully cataloguing Shigure's every move even though a smile lit his pale face.

Taking a deep breath the black-eyed man tore his eyes from the desk and turned. "Yes, I am coming," he murmured as he stepped to his cousin's side. "We wouldn't want to keep everyone waiting."

Closing the door behind them with a sharp click Akito gave an elegant shrug and led the way towards the banquet hall. Following behind with a reluctant step Shigure forced himself to put everything he had seen to the back of his mind. He could not risk letting Akito know that he had overheard everything he had been reading. Akito could be a terror in the most usual of circumstances and Shigure wasn't sure what he would do if he found out. No one must realize something was wrong. _Until I know more I cannot say anything. I will have to wait… _

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On the other side of the world from the Sohma family residence, high up in a Manhattan office building, an imperiously tall man strolled sedately down a marble lined hallway. Reading over a contract that insured the hostile takeover of a profitable piece of land the man looked every bit the high powered business man that he was. With high sculpted cheekbones, a wide mouth set into permanently hard lines, and piercing ice blue eyes he looked more like a statue carved from stone than a living being, only the pair of square glasses perched upon the tip of his nose giving him any semblance of humanity.

Pausing in his inspection of the contracts he glanced up at a clock on the wall. Standing with an almost unnatural stillness he watched the second hand tick upward until it hit the twelve. A soft chime sounded, signaling that midnight, and the New Year, had arrived. Letting out the breath he had been holding the sandy haired man lowered his bespectacled gaze from the wall and picked a speck of lint off of his thousand dollar Italian suit.

Waving the papers in his hand, he signaled that he was done reading them, within seconds a lackey ran up without a word and took them away. "Everything seems to be in order. Tell the legal department to begin to get things rolling," he said with a charmingly cultured accent.

"Yes, Sir! Right away, Sir!"

Taking the groveling note in the nameless person's voice as a matter of course the man continued down the hall and breezed through the door of a large office. Moving to a small table with an assortment of glasses and bottles arranged on its top he poured himself a hefty shot of whiskey. As he raised the amber colored liquid to his lips a soft chuckle sounded from behind him.

"Celebrating the new year, sir?" A young man of about twenty-five with neatly trimmed chestnut hair asked from the open doorway, his sharp gray eyes glittering with a mirthless inquiry. "I didn't know you were so sentimental."

Not even bothering to turn his head the older man tipped back his head and drank the whiskey in one swallow. "I am in a good mood right now, Kai, so I will simply ignore that," he stated evenly, the threat hiding just below the surface of his words. Raising a hand to adjust his glasses he turned his attention to his Rolex, which now read 12:05.

Taking the hint Kai cleared his throat. "Excuse me, sir. I meant no disrespect," he said grudgingly. When his employer remained silent he looked down at the closed wooden box in his hands. "I brought what you asked for. You mentioned that you wanted to see this at midnight."

Looking away from the time, the blue-eyed man moved to sit behind a large oak desk that occupied one whole wall of the office. "Bring it over here then," he ordered, steepling his fingers before his frowning mouth.

Jumping to comply Kai set the box onto the desk and carefully lifted the lid. "Sir, is there a reason you wanted to look over the family records now?"

Looking down at the nondescript cloth-bound book settled within the box the older man did not answer right away. Slowly unfolding his hands he reached down and gently flipped open the book to the first page. Printed neatly in small horizontal lines Japanese kanji covered the yellowed pages within, telling a story that was not recorded in any mainstream historical text but that was just as bitter and blood soaked as any war ever fought. Reading the first few lines of his family's past, the sandy-haired man's eyes turned ugly behind his fashionable glasses.

"Do you know what is in this book, Kai?" he asked blandly, though his eyes glittered like broken river ice in the sun.

"Yes, sir. It tells the family's story."

Looking up at his young employee the man narrowed his eyes slightly. "Yes, it is a history but it is more than that. It records the reason we are all still here, why we were able to pull ourselves up from the brink of destruction."

"Sir?"

"Revenge, Kai," the older man murmured with relish. "It is the reason we have survived for the last five hundred years. It courses through our blood and has been passed down through the lines to live within us to this very day. Revenge… nothing in all the world could be sweeter and this year will give us the opportunity to fulfill our ancestor's most cherished wishes. This year we will pass judgment once again upon a blight that continues to infect the world with its poison. This year, on our five hundredth anniversary, we shall crush the Sohma's into the dust where they belong."

A slow, dark grin spread across Kai's elegant features as he folded his hands behind his back. "It would be my pleasure to help out in any way possible, sir. I can have some of our associates look into their holdings. Since you asked me to keep my eye on their movements last year I have found that they have vast amounts of property. It would be easy to ruin their finances. All I would have to do would be to…"

Coming out of his brooding thoughts slowly the older man shook his head. "No, your services will not be needed yet. I would like to go a different route first. I don't just want to see them squirm under the curse… I want to crush their spirits once and for all. And that will take a much subtler approach."

Looking slightly annoyed for being passed over so easily Kai pursed his lips into a thin line. "What do you mean, sir?"

Steepling his fingers once again the older man allowed a mean smile to curve up the corners of his lips. "I think it is time I finally took a little trip to the birthplace of my ancestors, Kai. If I remember correctly Japan is lovely this time of year."

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**Please take a few seconds to review me and tell me how I am doing so far. I would love to hear from you!!** **Thanks**!


	2. Heat Wave

**Hey again! I just have a short note this time. I think you will notice but I am not doing the traditional Japanese name order. (Last name first that is.) But rather am putting first names first. No particular reason for this. It is just how I wrote it. **

**But anyway I hope you enjoy the chapter! Let me know what you think about it. **

Chapter 2: Heat Wave

Summer:

A family of birds sang merrily in the early-morning sunlight, their nest perched safely in a large tree that stood directly outside one of the windows of a quaint two story house. Hidden away from the closely packed houses of the suburban neighborhoods the house, though not particularly impressive by itself, was the only residence built within the large wooded area. The land in every direction belonged to the Sohma family, though the house itself had been bought and paid for by Shigure Sohma when he had decided to leave the luxury of the family's main dwelling. It was a private setting far away from the prying eyes of any neighbors.

The loud echo of wood slamming against wood broke through the quiet of the woods as a window on the second story of Shigure's house was thrown violently open. A roughly handsome teenage boy stuck his head out the window and glared up at where the nesting birds were still singing away. Raising a hand up to smooth over his slightly mussed orange hair Kyo Sohma narrowed his bright red eyes at the offending creatures.

"Hey!! Shut the hell up already!! Some people are trying to sleep!!" he bellowed at the top of his lungs before slamming the window shut again. Knowing that he should be up already anyway did nothing to calm the annoyance bubbling within his blood. This kind of rationality, or any kind really, was rarely able to overcome the powerful forces of his hair trigger temper. And the fact that the temperature was already soaring above 90 degrees outside and their air conditioner was still broken didn't help either.

Stalking over to his closet Kyo stood before his selection of comfortable T-shirts and assorted pairs of cargo pants with his arms crossed over his bare chest. Barely spending more than a minute on his decision he grabbed a plain black shirt and random pair of kakis and jerked them on. Padding bare foot to the door of his room Kyo opened it and nearly jumped out of his skin when he caught sight of his cousin, Yuki, lurking directly outside.

Standing with one hand braced against the door jam, his oddly toned gray hair sticking up in several unnatural directions, Yuki sleepily ran his free hand over his half open eyes. "You woke me up," he growled menacingly, his violet gaze flickering up to pin Kyo with a dark glower. "I had another hour before I needed to get up for my student council meeting."

Taking a hasty step away from his cousin Kyo quickly assessed the other teenager's mood as being dangerously close to violence. Yuki was not a morning person, and though Kyo wasn't particularly sorry for waking him, he knew that the other boy could easily kick his ass if he was in the right mood. And right now Yuki definitely seemed to be in the right mood.

They had both lived under the same roof for three years now but their seemingly natural dislike of each other had only faded from outright hatred to reluctant tolerance. Yuki's effortless ability to garner other people's respect annoyed Kyo to no end. The fact that his cousin was cursed with the sign of the rat and he was cursed by the cat had now become merely a secondary reason for their continue rivalry. At least they had gotten to the point where they no longer broke into a fist fight every day.

Bristling defensively, Kyo raised his chin up and fixed a fierce scowl onto his face. "Oh yeah?" he snapped, refusing to show any sign of weakness in front of his greatest rival. "So what?"

Temper flared in Yuki's gaze as he slowly drew himself up to his full height. Looking coolly regal, despite the fact he was still dressed in his pajamas, he stood silently in the doorway for a full minute with his hands slowly fisting at his sides. Then without a word of warning Yuki's left hand shot out, contacting Kyo's shoulder with an open palmed blow even as his foot swung forward and hooked around the red-eyed boy's leg just behind the knee. Caught off guard Kyo let out a curse as he lost his balance and fell flat on his behind.

Straightening his pajama top and smoothing the wildness from his hair Yuki sleepily opened his mouth and yawned. "Next time you feel like shouting like an idiot think twice about it, stupid cat."

Coloring at how easily he had been knocked to the ground Kyo jumped to his feet and launched himself at his cousin. "I'm going to freaking rip your head off you damned rat!!" he howled as he swung a fist at Yuki's delicately handsome face.

Evading the blows the gray-haired boy countered with several well aimed kicks. Drawing on all the years of his martial arts training Kyo looked for even the smallest opening in his cousin's defenses but was unable to find one. Though Yuki was still half asleep at this point he was still dangerously good at fighting. Growing frustrated Kyo let out another curse and swung a wild punch at Yuki's head. Dodging to the side Yuki avoided getting a black eye but Kyo's fist slammed into the wall behind him, putting an almost perfectly round hole into the plaster.

"What are you two doing?!" a feminine voice gasped from out in the hall.

Freezing in mid-fight both boys glanced over at where a pretty girl with long brown hair and large sky blue eyes stood watching them with an expression of shocked dismay. Recovering his composure the quickest Yuki lowered his fists to his sides, a sheepish smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Sorry, Tohru. I didn't realize how loud we were being."

"Ah no… that's not it," she replied, her gaze turning to the hole in the wall. "You were fighting again…"

Remaining silent Kyo dropped his eyes to the floor, as if there was something fascinating glued to the tops of his feet. Shame, instead of the earlier anger, stained his cheeks a bright pink as he listened the worry in Tohru's voice. _I always seemed to make her worry._

Tohru hated it when they fought because she considered them both good friends, Kyo knew this, but he just couldn't seem to check himself when it came to Yuki. It was a problem that he had been wrestling with since the moment he had moved into Shigure's house and met Tohru for the first time. And, despite the fact that she was technically their housekeeper, he had always cared about what she thought of him. When she looked at him as she was now, with a touch of disappointment, he practically wanted to crawl under a rug somewhere.

Trying to cover up his embarrassment Kyo pinched his mouth into a thin line. "I didn't mean to worry you," he offered when an awkward silence settled over the room. "Sorry…"

"You _should_ be sorry, not for being your usual stupid self though but because you were hollering loud enough to wake the planet," Yuki added as he strolled toward the door, his movements becoming more controlled as he began to wake up. Smiling at Tohru as he passed her in the hall he reached up to smooth his hair again. "Excuse me for a little while. I will see you again downstairs."

Brightening now that she had something besides their fight to think about, Tohru folded her hands together and tilted her head slightly to the side in thought. "That reminds me! I already have breakfast made so I hope you both are hungry."

Yuki nodded as he continued down the hall, heading to his own room to change out of his pajamas. "I can't wait!" he called over his shoulder, the eagerness in his tone specifically added for Tohru's benefit.

Watching Yuki's retreating figure with a smile Tohru smoothed her hands down the front of the blue sundress she was wearing. After a moment she turned her attention to Kyo, her smiled dimming ever so slightly as she took in his still lowered gaze. "Are you alright Kyo?" she asked gently, her tone automatically soothing the shimmers of annoyance still tightening his fists at his sides. "What were you yelling about earlier?"

Relaxing his stance Kyo finally raised his eyes to meet hers, slowly an awkward smile pulled at the corners of his mouth. "Oh it was nothing… just some stupid birds squawking outside my window," he said with a shrug as he moved forward to join her out in the hallway.

"Some birds?" Tohru repeated her gentle smile growing into a bright grin as she led the way to the stairs. "Do you dislike birds, Kyo?"

Eyeing her suspiciously Kyo scratched his head. _What in the world is she smiling at like that?_ It made him nervous when she directed those bright blue eyes and affectionate smile in his direction alone, like he was the only other person in the world, because it never failed to cause a his heart to flutter stupidly within his chest. "Uh, yeah I guess."

Clapping her hands together like she had made some fantastic discovery Tohru glanced over her shoulder at him as she began descending the stairs. "Do you think that is because you were born as the cat? Like how you don't like the rain too?" she asked enthusiastically.

Finding it impossible to be unmoved by her infectious good humor Kyo chuckled and shook his head, forgetting for a moment that he was still pissed at Yuki or that it was so hot inside the house that he could already feel a sheen a sweat covering his body. She always was doing stuff like that, making the curse seem just a little less grim; injecting a touch of humor and light into his darkness. Making life just a little more bearable.

"I don't know," he said with a laugh. "Could be just because they were being damned annoying."

"Ah I guess so," Tohru agreed as she came to the bottom of the stairs and turned into the kitchen. "It is funny to wonder about things like that though," she said as she moved to the refrigerator. "Would you like some orange juice with breakfast? I am pretty sure we have plenty for today because I just went to the store two days ago."

Helping himself to the food already set out on the counter Kyo waved off her offer. "No thanks. Yuki is the one who likes that stuff more than me anyway," he said off handedly as he flopped down into one of the kitchen chairs instead of carrying his food all the way to the dinning room.

"So you are saving it for him…" Tohru wondered aloud as she sat down at the table with him.

"Pah-lease," he huffed quickly. "As if I would worry about that."

Resting her chin in the palm of one hand Tohru watched him quietly for several moments. "I think you are both getting along better," she said determinedly. "I am glad you are."

Uncomfortable with her line of thought Kyo frowned down at the table. "Aren't you going to eat anything?"

"Oh, I already ate with Shigure. He got up extra early to begin working on his next book. I think he stayed up late last night too. He won't tell me what it is about but it must be something exciting since he is always going off during the day to research it. I know he doesn't want anyone to know it, but he has been working really hard ever since New Years."

"Somehow… that just seems hard to believe," Kyo muttered as Yuki strolled into the kitchen. Looking perfectly put together in a white Chinese style button up shirt Yuki cast a cool glance Kyo's way before turning to get his food. Glaring at his cousin's back Kyo momentarily wondered how the other boy managed to not even appear to sweat despite the heat. _God… I hate how he can do that. It is damn annoying!_

"By the way," Yuki said as he turned from the counter, his large violet eyes immediately going to Tohru. "If you need anything from the store I can pick it up on my way home today."

"Oh no… I wouldn't want you to trouble yourself!"

Coming to sit down at the table with them Yuki pointedly ignored his cousin. "It wouldn't be any trouble. I have a student council meeting at school today so the store would be on the way back."

"What are you guys already having meetings for? It is summer break now. Geeze you would think you would want to give all that crap a rest once in awhile," Kyo needled.

Stiffening in his chair Yuki turned a narrowed gaze to Kyo. "Don't speak like you know anything about what we do. It takes months to plan some of the school functions so we are getting a head start. Not like you would understand something like setting budgets or preplanning or responsibility."

When Kyo opened his mouth to shoot out another retort Tohru quickly interrupted. "I could use some cucumbers, Yuki… if you are sure it isn't any trouble!" she said hurriedly, effectively cutting off another argument before it could get into full swing.

Nodding vaguely Yuki turned his attention to his food. "Alright… I should be home around three or four."

"Would you like me to pack you a lunch before you go?" Tohru offered helpfully.

Getting to his feet and taking his dishes to the dishwasher Yuki shook his head. "No thanks. I will just buy something there."

"Where are you going? I thought you said you had another hour before you had to go," Kyo asked as he watched his cousin pick up his schoolbag and prepare to leave.

"I will just get there early and get to work. It will save everyone else some time." Turning to Tohru Yuki gave a quick wave and walked out of the kitchen towards the front door.

Sighing, Tohru raised a hand to fan her face. "I hope he doesn't overheat on his way over there. It would be terrible if he transformed where a stranger could stumble upon him," she worried as she ran her teeth over her bottom lip.

Nodding absently Kyo's eyes strayed downward to stare at Tohru's mouth as she continued to worry to herself. _Hmm… I don't think I noticed before but she has a really pretty mouth._ Jerking up straight in his chair at the thought Kyo tore his eyes away from Tohru. _What the hell is wrong with you… thinking about her like that… God I am such a jerk!_ Getting to his feet without giving his friend another glance he put his dishes away and headed towards the door. _I gotta get out of here!_

"I think I will head over to the dojo and get some extra practice in. I will see you later!"

"Wait… will you be back for dinner?!" Tohru called after him.

"Yep! Bye!" he shouted over his shoulder as he ran out the front door, leaving Tohru behind to wonder at his sudden departure.

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"Great work today everyone," Yuki said with a smile as the other members of the student council gathered up their belongings and headed toward the classroom door. "I really think we are going to be ready when school starts again."

"It is all thanks to you President!" A very pretty girl with long dark hair called out.

Yuki's polite smile slipped marginally as he let out a long suffering sigh. "I think I mentioned before that you really don't have to call me president…"

Ignoring him completely the girl giggled and opened up a pink cell phone to begin texting her friends as she walked out the door. "I will see you at the next meeting President!" Pausing for a moment she looked up from her cell, a sly grin sliding across her face. "Unless, of course, you want to take me out for ice cream sometime," she chirped, twirling a lock of her hair about one finger coyly.

Opening his mouth to respond Yuki felt the tell tale signs of a flustered blush working its way to his cheeks. He had never been good at dealing with the opposite sex, especially in situations that had even the slightest romantic undertones. Though he had become a master at hiding his embarrassment with aloof disregard or cool disdain, it was becoming more and more difficult to ignore the appreciative glances from his female classmates. But more importantly it was becoming a constant struggle to ignore his own heart's secret wish to have someone with whom he could laugh freely and go on a date with, someone with whom he could pretend to be normal, if only for a little while. But of course, that was an impossible wish.

Viciously pushing aside the deep seeded longings stirring within him, Yuki drew his expression in to an impassive mask and busied himself with neatly placing a stack of notes in his school bag.

"Come on now! You are irritating him." One of the other council members laughed as he pushed the girl away from the door. "Besides you have a boyfriend already!"

Shrugging prettily, the girl allowed herself to be led away. "Sorry President! I was just playing a little. Bye-bye!!" Pushing her ahead of the group the other members threw apologetic smiles over their shoulders before they all disappeared around a corner.

Letting out a shaky breath Yuki raised a hand up to press against his temple. Glad that he was finally alone he closed his eyes and took a moment to gather his composure. _Just forget about it. It isn't like you even like her. Forget about it. _Lowering his hand to the desk he pursed his lips into a firm line and stood. Snagging his school bag by the strap he strode out the door and into the hall.

Moving quickly through the deserted hallways Yuki began to notice how strange the building seemed without the noise and crowding of the other students. The emptiness made it seem as if something vital was missing. Normally when the council had a meeting at the school during a holiday he didn't pay any attention to the echoing stillness of the place, but now, in his current mood, the half lit hallways held a distinctively eerie atmosphere. The hairs along the back of his neck prickled and then stood on end. A spike of apprehension clenched the muscles of his stomach when the unmistakable sensation of being watched slithered into his consciousness.

Coming to an abrupt stop in the middle of the hallway Yuki cast a quick glance over his shoulder. Searching the empty space with narrowed eyes he saw nothing out of the ordinary. Relaxing his tensed stance he let out a nervous laugh and shook his head. "Must have just been my imagination…"

"What is?" A deep masculine voice asked from directly behind Yuki.

Jerking away from the unexpected sound Yuki nearly swung a fist around in an automatically defensive move, but he stopped himself at the last second. A large man in his mid thirties with curly brown hair caught back in a low ponytail stood a few feet down the hallway. Visibly starting at Yuki's shocked reaction the man shifted the stack of folders in his hands and nearly upended them onto the floor.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you!" he exclaimed breathily as he fought to regain some of his own composure. "I thought you heard me coming down the hall," he continued with a grunt as the stack of folders toppled dangerously to the side.

Studying the older man for a moment with a wary frown Yuki finally stirred himself to respond. "You didn't scare me. I was just distracted…" Waiting a beat as he watched the stranger heft his unruly stack of folders back into balance, Yuki then continued carefully. "Um, are you looking for someone here… or…"

"No, no. I work here. I mean I _will_ be working here. Once school starts that is. I am the new art teacher. I'm Shinji Yamahara… nice to meet you," the older man stuttered, a nervous smile sliding across his face as his brown eyes skittered off to glance down the hallway.

Feeling the last visages of apprehension slip away Yuki smiled politely and inclined his head in greeting. "I am Yuki Sohma. Nice to meet you too."

"And what in the world are you doing moping around the empty school building on your summer break, Yuki Sohma?" Yamahara asked as he brought his gaze back around.

_Moping?_ Yuki thought indignantly. _I wasn't moping…_ "I am the President of the student Council," he said a little more sharply than he had intended. "We had a meeting today to plan some events for next year."

"A council meeting in the middle of summer break?" the new teacher asked uncertainly. "You poor boy… Even _I_ wouldn't be here except that I have to move in all my supplies… and I am on the pay roll. I have always thought that empty buildings are really creepy."

Thoroughly annoyed now, but too polite to show it to a teacher, Yuki merely stood by impassively. "It really isn't a big deal. I don't mind a little hard work. It will pay off in the end… And I hardly noticed how empty it was. I am used to it," he lied.

Raising his eyebrows incredulously the older man let out a sigh. "Ah well if you say so." Taking a step forward he moved slowly passed Yuki.

Watching the new teacher warily Yuki's eyes slid to the stack of folders in the man's hands. The top folder had a single name printed neatly upon it, Kyo Sohma. Wondering what exactly Yamahara was carrying Yuki tilted his head to try and get a better look, but the older man moved by too quickly.

"Just make sure you close the door after you go out. I think I will have a heart attack if I run into anyone else unexpectedly," Yamahara called out as he disappeared around a corner, almost loosing control of his load a second time.

Rolling his eyes Yuki jerked around and marched off in the opposite direction. _That guy is a new teacher? He seems just about as reliable as my brother would be. What is wrong with him popping up out of nowhere and startling people! How annoying. _Scowling openly, because there was no one around to see it, Yuki quickly made his way out of the building. As soon as he opened the door to the outside world a wall of hot air slapped him in the face. Raising a hand up to shield his eyes from the glaring sun he ducked his head against the heat and hurried forward.

Remembering his promise to Tohru, despite his bad mood, he made a left and crossed several streets until he was standing outside a small local grocery store. Walking through the automatic doors he was relieved to feel the first soothing blast of ice cold air conditioning. His annoyance began to fade as he traveled up the aisle toward the fresh foods section. He liked doing something nice for Tohru and carrying out this small favor further calmed his rotten mood. Thinking of how many cucumbers he should buy rather than the exasperating encounter with the new art teacher, Yuki lingered several minutes before making his decision and checking out.

Feeling much better now that he had made his purchase and was on his way home Yuki quickened his step. Ignoring the suffocating heat he mentally went over the plans he and the rest of the council had made that morning. A warm sense of satisfaction eased through his system as he considered the many fantastic ideas that they had come up with for the following school year. Instead of choosing the usual fundraisers and events they had decided to shake things up a bit and go a different route. This year they would keep the very popular cultural festival but rather than celebrating Japanese culture exclusively there would be the addition of several others. A talent show was also scheduled as well as several other smaller events throughout the year.

Thinking about all the changes put a pleased smile upon his face, lighting up his eyes until they glittered violet in the summer sunlight. There was something truly exciting about doing the unexpected for once. He had very little chance of being spontaneous in his everyday life and so he secretly cherished this one chance to do something surprising. It made him feel as if his life had some meaning to it, as if he truly had something to offer.

Unconsciously swinging his grocery bag back and forth in time with the spring in his step Yuki turned a corner and started up a rather steep hill. The sidewalk thinned down as a tall retaining wall jutted out from the hillside, narrowing the walking space to just enough for a single person. Stepping aside to allow an elderly woman to pass by him Yuki pressed his back against the warm concrete of the wall. Smiling kindly when the woman waved her thanks he moved to continue on, his mind once again turning with excitement to the planned events of the coming year.

A sudden loud, trilling noise broke into his thoughts. Blinking in surprise as the noise rapidly drew closer Yuki looked up in time to see a young boy on a wobbling bicycle careening down the hill towards him. Yuki's jaw dropped open in shock as he realized that the noise was the bicycle bell that the kid was desperately ringing because the bike was quickly getting out of control. Having no more than a few seconds to get out of the way Yuki dove to the side and stumbled out into the street. The boy and bike flew by with an audible whoosh, ruffling Yuki's neat gray hair as he went.

Turning with a jerk to stare after the boy, Yuki's heart nearly leapt out of his chest as he watched the boy finally regain control of his bike. "Whoa…" he breathed shakily. "That was clos…"

The terrible shriek of squealing tires interrupted anything else he might have said. Wrenching his eyes towards the deafening noise Yuki had time to see the gleam of sun off of jet black metal roaring down the street before a cloud of burning rubber passed before his vision. With no time to dodge he tensed every muscle in his body and waited for the bone crushing impact.


End file.
